Extensible column



A ril 13, 1954 G. REGOORD EXTENSIBLE COLUMN Filed Aug. 9, 1951 INVENTOR GERQRD REGOORD ATTORNEY I .as operated by a crank' 15.

Patented Apr. 13 1954 UNITED STATES rarest OFFICE Gerard Regoord, Union City, N. J. Application August 9, 1951, Serial No. 241,022

6 Claims.

This invention relates to What I term an ex tensible column employing a plurality of tubular sections which telescope one with respect to the other to normally provide a relatively low column which can be extended to various heights and utilized as a column, shafting or mast, or as means for raising and lowering one or more platforms, depending upon the number of columns employed.

More particularly, the invention deals with an apparatus of the character described having means for simultaneously actuating the column sections to raise the same into extended position invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken sectional View, showing a few of the column sections, illustrating the same in a partially extended position, as well as showing the means for operating said sections; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the column on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the line ill will represent a suitable base or support, this base or support being suitably constructed to adapt it for different uses, particularly in facilitating movement of the apparatus from place to place. Suitably mounted and fixed to the support is the main base section II of the telescoping column. At 12 is indicated suitable driving means which may be manually or power-actuated, depending upon the size and use of the device.

The drive i2 comprises a suitable casing, or frame It, in which is arranged a drive shaft l4, which, in the construction shown, is indicated On the shaft I4 is a pinion it which meshes with a gear l! on a winding drum or pulley H3; at It is indicated a pawl engaging the gear IT to check and hold the various sections of the column in any desired extended position.

At 20 and 2! are shown a pair of cables which control operation of the first telescoping tube or section 23 which is slidably on the fixed sec 45'. The rods of the arms 46,

tion H. The cables 25,2! first pass over idler pulleys or sheaves on the base I0, one of which is indicated at 24 in Fig. l and then around sheaves 25 and 26, respectively, supported on the fixed section H of the column.

The lower end portion of the section 23 has cross-frames 27 and 28, defined by spaced par allel plates, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, the frame 27 supporting two sheaves 29 and 38; Whereas, the frame 28 supports two other sheaves 3! and 32.

The supports for the sheave 25 comprise spaced outwardly projecting supporting plates 33 and directly opposed to the plates 33 the section H has another pair of supporting plates 34, in which an anchor rod 35 is mounted. At 90 to the plates 3 are another pair of plates 36 supporting another anchor rod 31 and, opposed to the plates 36, the section H has a special frame 38 for support of the sheave 25.

Bearing this structure in mind, the upper portion of each of the sections employed has opposed pairs of supporting plates, as for example, two plates similar to the plates 33, 3 2 are shown at 39 and All in Fig. 1 at the upper end of the fixed section I l. Two other similar pairs of supporting plates 38, it are shown at the upper end of the section 23. The section 2!, which is shown telescoping in section 23, at least the lower portion thereof being shown, also has similar pair of plates, not shown, and this construction continues throughout the several sections which are employed in the column and at 39" and 40" are indicated similar supports at what can be termed the uppermost section 42. This section #2, in the present illustration, is indicated as having a supporting platform it. It will be understood that, at right angles to the various supports 39 and 40, the respective sections of the column will have similar supports, one of these supports being indicated at M at the top of the section II and another indicated at 4 at the top of section 23.

To simplify the description, reference will be given solely to the structure of the supports 39, 40; 39', 40', but it will be understood that the other sections will be of identical construction and will operate in the same manner. Each of the supports 39 and til have long outwardly and downwardly extending arms 45, 36; 5, 35', car rying, at their free ends, cross-rods, one of which is seen at 41 and the correspondin rodat 41' on it are not shown, as these would simply be repetitiou of the rods defined. Mounted between the plates 39, 40; 39, 4B are sheaves 48, 49; 48', 49.

It will appear from a consideration of Fig. l of the drawing that the cable 2c extends upwardly from the sheave 25 and passes around the sheave 48, downwardly in the tubular section 23, around the sheave 29, then around the sheave 30, upwardly through section 23, around the sheave 45 and then downwardly and is anchored to the anchor rod 35. The cable 2i passes around the sheave 25, then upwardly along the section i i and over a sheave 50, similar to the sheaves 98 and 49, then downwardly through the section 23' around the sheave 3|, then around the sheave 32 and up through the section 23 and around another sheave similar to the sheave 55 and then downwardly and anchored to the anchor rod 3'1.

With the above construction, it wiil be apparent that, as the spool or drum I8 is rotated, the two strands or cables 25, 2! will be wound on the drum and this operation will result in lifting the section 23 upwardly in the fixed section ii. It will appear from a consideration of Fig. l of the drawing that the sheaves 48, i9 and similar sheaves operate in elongated slots in the sides of the sections 23, the sheaves extending into the slots which serves to key the sections one with respect to the other.

At and 52 are shown cables which control relative telescoping movement of section 4! with respect to section 23. One end of these cables is fixed to anchor rods 53, 5d of supports 39, ii) and then pass around rods, such as the rod i'i, of arms 45, 46, then around sheaves 4B, 39 and then down and anchored torods 55, 55 on the bottom cross-frame 51 of the section A l. The frame 51 is substantially of the same structure as the cross-frame made up of the frame parts 21, 28 of Fig. 2. These frames, as well as the supports as at 39, 39; Ml, lll maintain the iongitudinally split structure of the sections 23 in relationship to each other.

It will be understood that the arms, at right angles to the arms 45, 55, will have similar cables to the cables 5!, 52 and one of these cables is indicated at 58 and passes over a sheave 59, similar to the sheaves 48', 49'.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown at 5i and 52 a portion of other cables, similar to the cables 5| and 52. Here again, these cables pass around rods as at 4'! of the arms 55', 65 and over other sheaves, not shown, and down to a bottom cross-frame of another section which is not shown.

The frame portions 39", 45" which form the top cross-frame of the uppermost section 52 has sheaves Bil, 6!, over which cables 5|", 52" pass.

It will be understood that any desired number of column sections can be employed, each section telescoping with its next adjacent section and being slightly less in diameter to fit snugly, but freely, in the adjacent section and, as one sec tion is raised, its corresponding adjacent section is proportionately raised and this relative movement will be readily understood from a consideration of the left-hand side of Fig. 1 of the drawing and the following statement.

Let us assume that the sections are all'in fully collapsed position one with respect to the other. Then, the arms as at45' will be disposed in close proximity to the arms 45 and the part of the cable 5! between 53' and 4'! will be nearing and close to a parallel relationship with that part of the cable extending between Al and 48', 48 being then a short distance above 48 and 55 will then be disposed adjacent 29, with 29 in its lowered position in the section I I. In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the sections are shown in only a partially raised position and, in the more fully raised position, 55 will come to a point closely adjacent 48, thus producing a long extension of the cable 5| between 48 and 41.

It will, of course, be understood that the upper section 42 has no other section to tie-in with, thus cables 5i", 52", after passing over the sheaves 65, BI will couple with a weight 62, it being understood that the other cables, similar to 60, 5| will also be coupled with this weight and one of these cables is indicated at 53. When it is desired to collapse the sections, the pawl l9, or other suitable control is moved into inoperative position and the various sections are lowered by virtue of their own weight or this operation can be positively controlled by hand or by suitable mechanism.

My improved extensible column may be utilized for the purpose of erecting columns or masts for different uses and, further, can be utilized as a supporting column in erecting scaffolds or in simply moving platforms into diiferent vertical positions.

In connection with the latter use, it will be apparent that an apparatus of the character described can be used as a life saving apparatusin conjunction with fire-fighting equipment,

From a standpoint of description, the primary lift, that is to say, the lift of the first section slidably engaging the lower, or base section, is raised by'reducing the dimensions of a cable loop, or loops, when two cables are employed. In other words, when the apparatus is fully collapsed, there is a long loop of the cable extending from the upper sheaves of the lower section around the pair of sheaves at the base of the first telescoping section and then up to another sheave at the upper end of said base section. As the first telescoping section is raised, this loop becomes smaller and smaller. In the same sense, the cable connection between adjacent sections may be said to be inverted loops, each loop extending from the outer extremity of the arms, around the sheave of the arm of the next adjacent section and then down to the lower end or said adjacent section. These last named loops become extended or elongated, as the various sections are telescoped upwardly.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An extensible column of the character described, comprising a plurality of tubular sections, one section comprising a fixed base section, a second section being arranged in and telescoping with the base section, a plurality of other sections telescoping in the second section and with each other, each of the sections having, at the upper ends thereof, circumferentially spaced outwardly and downwardly extending arms, sheaves on said sections at the inner ends of the arms, said sheaves operating in elongated apertures in adjacent sections in keying the sections against rotary movement one with respect to the other. the lower end of the second section having two pairs of sheaves, a pair of cables looped around said pairs of sheaves of the second section and passing around the sheaves at the upper ends of the base section, one end of said cables being fixed to the lower portion of the base section, a winding mechanism, and the other end of said cables being fixed to a member of said mechanism whereby, in the operation of said mechanism, the looped portions of said cables are reduced and said second section is raised in the base section.

2. An extensible column of the character described, comprising a plurality of tubular sections, one section comprising a fixed base section, a second section being arranged in and telescoping with the base section, a plurality of other sections telescoping in the second section and with each other, each of the sections having, at the upper ends thereof, circumferentially spaced outwardly and downwardly extending arms, sheaves on said sections at the inner ends of the arms, said sheaves operating in elongated apertures in adjacent sections in keying the sections against rotary movement one with respect to the other, the lower end of the second section having two pairs of sheaves, a pair of cables looped around said pairs of sheaves of the second section and passing around the sheaves at the upper ends of the base section, one end of said cables being fixed to the lower portion of the base section, a winding mechanism, the other end of said cables being fixed to a member of said mechanism whereby, in the operation of said mechanism, the looped portions of said cables are reduced and said second section is raised in the base section, and other cables being invertedly looped around the outer ends of the arms of the base section, around sheaves at the upper ends of arms of the second section and having ends fixed to the lower ends or" a third section, whereby telescoping movement of the second section is transmitted to said third section.

3. An extensibl column of the character described, comprising a plurality of tubular sections, one section comprising a fixed base section, a second section being arranged in and telescoping with the base section, a plurality of other sections telescoping in the second section and with each other, each of the sections having, at the upper ends thereof, circumferentially spaced outwardly and downwardly extending arms, sheaves on said sections at the inner ends of the arms, said sheaves operatin in elongated apertures in adjacent sections in keying the sections against rotary movement one with respect to the other, the lower end of the second section having two pairs of sheaves, a pair of cables looped around said pairs of sheaves of the second section and passing around the sheaves at the upper ends of the base section, one end of said cables being fixed to the lower portion of the base section, a winding mechanism, the other end of said cables being fixed to a member of said mechanism whereby, in the operation of said mechanism, the looped portions of said cables are reduced and said second section is raised in the base section, other cables being invertedly looped around the outer ends of the arms of the base section, around sheaves at the upper ends of arms of the second section and having ends fixed to the lower ends of a third section, whereby telescoping movement of the second section is transmitted to said third section, and at least one of said sections having a supporting member.

4. An extensible column of the class described, comprising a, plurality of telescoping tubular sections, one section comprising a fixed base section, a second section telescoping in the base section and having sheaves at its lower nd, a plurality of other sections telescoping in. thesecond section and in each other, means comprising a cable looped around sheaves or the second section for controlling telescoping movement of the second section in said base section, said cable having one end fixed to the lower end of the base section, winding means, the other end of the cable being fixed to said winding means, other inverted looped cables having ends fixed to adjacent sections, whereby movement of th second section in the base section will correspondingly move said plurality of sections in the second section and with respect to each other, and one end of the cables of the inverted loops of the uppermost section being attached to a weighted member movable longitudinally of said sections.

5. An extensible column of the class described, comprising a plurality of telescoping tubular sections, one section comprisin a fixed base section, a second section telescoping in the bas section and having sheaves at its lower end, a plurality of other sections telescoping in the second section and in each other, means comprising a cable looped around sheaves of the second section for controlling telescoping movement of the second section in said base section, said cable having one end fixed to the lower end of the base section, windin means, the other end of the cable being fixed to said winding means, other inverted looped cables having ends fixed to adjacent sections, whereby movement of the second section in the base section will correspondingly move said plurality of sections in the second section and with respect to each other, one end of the cables of the inverted loops of the uppermost section being attached to a weighted member movable longitudinally of said sections, said uppermost section having a platform, and means keying said sections one to the other to prevent relative rotary movement.

6. An extensible column of the class described, comprising a plurality of telescoping tubular sections, one section comprising a fixed base section, a second section telescoping in the base section, a plurality of other sections telescoping in the second section and in each other, means comprising two cables looped around two pairs of sheaves at the lower end of the second section for controlling telescoping movement of the second section in said base section, one pair of sheaves being at right angles to th other pair, said cables having one end fixed to the lower end of the base section, a single winding means for both cables, the other end of the cables being fixed to said winding means, and other inverted looped cables having ends fixed to adjacent sections, whereby movement of one section in the base section, by said winding means, will correspondingly move said plurality of sections in the second section and with respect to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 91,103 Dungan June 8, 1869 160,290 Trenchard Mar. 2, 1875 1,418,775 Brown June 6, 1922 1,932,768 Golfing Oct. 31, 1933 2,508,835 Moon et a1 May 23, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 272,491 Germany Apr. 2, 1914 

